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Polish II Corps in Russia

 

 
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Polish II Corps in Russia
 
 
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The Polish II Corps in Russia was a Polish military formation formed in revolutionary Russia in 1917.

Corps was formed at the initiative of the Chief Polish Military Committee (Naczelny Polski Komitet Wojskowy), a Polish faction in the revolutionary and split Russian Empire military. It was formed on 21 December 1917 in Soroca
Soroca

Soroca is a Moldavian town situated on the Dniester River about 160 km north of Chisinau....
 (now in Moldavia
Moldavia

Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river....
), then a Bessarabia
Bessarabia

Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic entity in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
n region disputed by revolutionary Ukraine
Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south....
 and Romania
Romania

Romania is a country located in Southeastern Europe Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian Mountains, bordering on the Black Sea....
.






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The Polish II Corps in Russia was a Polish military formation formed in revolutionary Russia in 1917.

History

The Corps was formed at the initiative of the Chief Polish Military Committee (Naczelny Polski Komitet Wojskowy), a Polish faction in the revolutionary and split Russian Empire military. It was formed on 21 December 1917 in Soroca
Soroca

Soroca is a Moldavian town situated on the Dniester River about 160 km north of Chisinau....
 (now in Moldavia
Moldavia

Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river....
), then a Bessarabia
Bessarabia

Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic entity in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
n region disputed by revolutionary Ukraine
Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south....
 and Romania
Romania

Romania is a country located in Southeastern Europe Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian Mountains, bordering on the Black Sea....
. The corps was formed primarily from Poles serving in the former Russian Army. It was a counterpart to the Polish I Corps in Russia
Polish I Corps in Russia

Polish I Corps in Russia was a Polish military formation formed in Belarus, in August 1917 in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution of 1917, from soldiers of Polish origin serving in the Russian Army....
 formed in the north, in Belarus
Belarus

Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the north....
 and the Polish III Corps in Russia in central Ukraine.

It was commanded initially by General Sylwester Stankiewicz (some sources also indicate it was briefly commanded by general Wladyslaw Glass). In February 1918 the corps merged with the Brigade II of the Polish Legions
Brigade II of the Polish Legions

Brigade II of the Polish Legions , also known as the Iron or Carpathian Brigade, was a Polish military unit, subordinate to the Austro-Hungarian Army, part of the Polish Legions in World War I, that existed from 1914 or 1915 till 1918....
 and by late March Stankiewicz (and/or Glass) was replaced by the Brigade commander, General Józef Haller.

The Corps avoided major engagements, and concentrated on protecting the Polish inhabitants of the region.

In March 1918 the corps had about 8,000 soldiers, and was equipped with weapons passed down from the Russian 29th Corps. At that time, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed on March 3, 1918, at Brest-Litovsk between the Russian SFSR and the Central Powers, marking Russia's exit from World War I....
 was signed between the Russian Empire
Russian Empire

File:Russian Emperor Flag.jpgFile:Romanov Flag.svgThe Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917....
 and the Central Powers
Central Powers

The Central Powers was one of the two sides that participated in World War I, the other being the Allies of World War I....
. Germans demanded that the Polish forces surrender.

Combat

The Poles refused to lay down their arms, and General Haller took control of the forces which were then challenged by the Austrians at the battle of Rarancza
Battle of Rarancza

The Battle of Rarancza was fought between Polish Legions in World War I, and Austria-Hungary, from February 15 to 16, 1918, near Rarancza in Bukovina, and ended with a Polish victory....
 (15-16 February 1916). The Poles won the battle and broke through the frontlines to the Russian side. Later, however, they were attacked by German forces. This time the engagement ended in a defeat at the battle of Kaniów (10-11 May).

The corps was disbanded afterwards, with most of it soldiers imprisoned by the Germans. General Haller avoided capture and made his way to France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
, some soldiers who also avoided capture (mostly from the 4th Rifle Division) moved toward Odessa
Odessa

Odessa or Odesa is the Capital of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major port located on the shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 ....
.

Organization

The corps was considered part of the Blue Army
Blue Army

The Blue Army, or Haller's Army, are informal names given to the Polish Army units formed in France during the later stages of World War I....
 and was composed of two divisions:
  • 4th Rifle Division
    4th Rifle Division (Poland)

    The Polish 4th Rifle Division was a Poland military unit, forming, together with the Polish 5th Rifle Division of the Blue Army, the only part of the Polish military which took part in the Russian Civil War....
  • 5th Rifle Division
The corps also had supporting units (two cavalry regiments, artillery, engineering and others).

See also

  • Polish I Corps in Russia
    Polish I Corps in Russia

    Polish I Corps in Russia was a Polish military formation formed in Belarus, in August 1917 in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution of 1917, from soldiers of Polish origin serving in the Russian Army....